Two-year-old Fitia suffered severe burns when a pot of boiling water fell on her, but a medevac flight in an MAF plane meant she could receive the life-saving treatment she needed.

Fitia was a happy, smiling little girl. But one day a pot of boiling hot water fell on her, leaving the horrified two-year-old with appalling burns.

Her family tried antibiotic ointment and visited a traditional healer who told them to spit on the wound each day. But the poor girl, who was in agony, only got worse.

Fortunately for Fitia, she was seen by Mercy Ships Screening Co-ordinator Mirjam Plomp at the end of the team's last clinic at Mahajanga, in northern Madagascar, which is where Fitia lives.

What a blessing to be able to work together with MAF to make these things possible.

Mercy Ships

Mirjam saw that Fitia's burn was life-threatening, and asked Pilot Josh Plett if he could fly Fitia and her mother to the Africa Mercy. The ship was docked at Toamasina – on Madagascar's east coast.

Josh says, 'It happened that we were picking up some missionaries the next day, so we were able to bring all 11 people, including Fitia and her mother, to the Mercy Ship. Mirjam told us that if they hadn't been able to treat Fitia's wounds, she would probably have died.'

Later, Josh received a note describing Fitia's progress. 'Wow,' Mirjam wrote, 'she has really changed from a suffering child to a playful, cheeky girl. She has been discharged from the hospital, and is at the HOPE Centre, returning for physiotherapy exercises and wound checks. I think she will soon go back home.

'I know you guys played a big part in her story, and I'm sure her mum will never forget that! This girl survived because of the opportunities we have to work together to reach the poorest of the poor.'

The message from Mercy Ships, a Christian NGO that has helped transform the lives of over 2.5 million people, concludes, 'What a blessing to be able to work together with MAF to make these things possible.'

Thanks to our fruitful partnership with Mercy Ships, this cheerful little girl now has a big smile on her face.

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Illness, accidents and childbirth complications can be catastrophic for those living in remote and isolated areas. Hours or days of overland travel to reach the hospital are not an option for those with life-threatening medical problems

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